By Barby Ingle, PNN Columnist 

Trigeminal neuralgia, arachnoiditis, Ehlers Danlos syndrome and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) have all been called the “suicide disease” – the worst pain possible. But saying which disease or condition causes the most pain is subjective because people experience pain differently.  

• According to U.S. News & World Report, passing a kidney stone is one of the most painful medical conditions you can have.  

• News Medical Life Sciences lists sickle cell disease as one of the 20 most painful chronic conditions, with episodes of pain occurring when sickle-shaped red blood cells block small blood vessels.  

• McGill University in Canada has a “pain index” based on a questionnaire that asks people to describe what kind of pain they experience. The index consistently lists CRPS as the worst known pain to humans.

• Verywell Health reports that fibromyalgia is one of the most common pain conditions, affecting 10 million people in the U.S. and causing widespread body pain, sleep problems, fatigue and distress.  

After living with multiple pain conditions for over 20 years and speaking with tens of thousands of other patients, I no longer believe it matters which type of pain a person has or who has the most pain. We all experience pain. How much pain we feel depends on the individual and a host of other factors, such as genetics, life experiences, and whether effective treatment is available and affordable. That is what matters.

When we do not manage pain effectively, suicides go up. We also see drug abuse and misuse rise. According to a report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 5% to 7% of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are intentional suicides. Many of those deaths are pain patients.

Since 2011, we have seen a steady decrease in opioid prescribing. Be it acute or chronic, providers are weary of prescribing opioids for pain. It’s not because opioids don’t work. More often than not, the reason they stop prescribing is because they have invested so much into becoming a provider (education, cost, time, family and social connections) that they are now at risk of losing due to laws and medical guidelines based on misleading information about opioids. 

We need to get away from the generalities of treating pain and into individualized patient care. It may or may not involve pain medication, surgery, implants, cognitive therapy and other treatments. For those who have the audacity to say that anyone else should remain in pain because you are not comfortable with their form of treatment -- shame on you.

I have chosen not to use opioids for over 10 years because I have other options that work for me. I want all people to get whatever treatment they need to control their pain. It will be different for each of us and whatever condition or comorbidities we live with. We all need and deserve to get the care we choose after careful consideration, research and discussions with our providers. Laws and guidelines should not be used to take away medications that have been available since the beginning of time.

At a recent pain education event I attended, I heard the argument that there were no long-term studies on the use of opioids for pain. But there are millions of patients who have taken opioids safely for years who will tell you otherwise. Opioids actually gave them more life, because they were able to work, exercise and function when their pain was properly managed.

As a pain patient myself, I want the freedom to do what is best for me. I am currently working on getting access to ketamine infusions again after my ketamine clinic closed down. I want that same right in selecting treatment to be available to others. It should be left to patients and their providers to decide on treatment, without interference from others.

Barby Ingle is a reality TV personality living with multiple rare and chronic diseases. She is a chronic pain educator, patient advocate, motivational speaker, and best-selling author on pain topics. Barby has received over 25 awards for her advocacy efforts. You can follow her at www.barbyingle.com.